The 2016 Speedo U.S. Junior Nationals kicked off in Minneapolis this morning with some big swims from a deep pool of talented 18-and-under swimmers.

Day 1– Monday, August 8

Women’s 200 Meter Butterfly – Final

Jr World: 2:06.51 8/8/2015 Yufei Zhang, China

Meet: M 2:09.28 8/9/2010 Jasmine Tosky, Palo Alto Stanford

17/18 NAG: 2:06.95 Katie McLaughlin 2015

15/16 NAG: 2:05.96 Mary T. Meagher 1981

13/14 NAG: 2:07.01 Mary T. Meagher 1979

Austin Swim Club’s Dakota Luther won the women’s 200 fly in 2:10.63, just a touch off her morning time but still nearly 2 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. While Riptide’s Regan Smith went out with Luther, the back half belonged to Texas Ford Aquatics’ Ashlyn Fiorilli who came home impressively. She finished second in 2:12.46, just edging Tide Swimming’s CallieDickinson, who touched third with 2:12.64.

In the B final, Asheville Swim Club’s Mary Soule won a narrow race in 2:15.30 over Santa Clara Swim Club’s Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou (2:15.37) and Sarasota Y’s Isabel Traba (2:15.57). Natalie Whalen of North Texas Nadadores won the C final in 2:14.63.

Will Macmillan of North Carolina Aquatic Club broke 2:00 for the first time en route to claiming the Speedo Junior Nationals title in the 200 fly. Fynn Minuth went 2:00.43 for second, coming to the wall just ahead of Sandpipers of Nevada’s Carter Grimes (2:00.88). Macmillan jumped to #38 all-time for 17-18 boys, while Minuth moved to #57 and Grimes, to #79.

The B final went to Zachary Smith of Crimson Tide with 2:02.77; next was Brendan Santana of Pacific Swim with 2:03.11, then Dane Florea of Columbia Swim Club with 2:03.18. Michael Brinegar won the C final in 2:04.21.

Top-seeded Zoe Bartel from Fort Collins Area Swim Team threw down a big 1:08.11 to win the women’s 100 breast with a new meet record time, erasing the mark set by Kasey Carlson 8 years ago. OliviaCalegan of Greater Nebraska took it out very quickly, and was able to hold on just enough to keep a fast-charging Ema Rajic, Halle Morris, and Hanna Gresser at bay. Calegan finished second with 1:09.56. Rajic was third (1:10.19), touching just ahead of Morris (1:10.29) and Gresser (1:10.42).

Kaki Christensen, of Chelsea Piers came from behind to win the B final over Weston Swimming’s SophieAngus, 1:10.46 to 1:11.12. Nicole Williams from Columbia Swim Club won the C final in 1:12.33.

Race Pace Club’s Michael Andrew, who should legitimately hold the Junior World Record with the 59.82 he went at U.S. Olympic Trials in June (but FINA has not yet ratified it), lowered the Speedo Junior Nationals meet record he had set in the morning prelims session with his finals swim of 1:00.08. Out in a blazing 27.99, Andrew finished in 32.09 to clock a 1:00.08. Devon Nowicki of AquaSwimClub also improved on his morning time, going 1:01.06 to move from #11 to #4 on the all-time list for 17-18 boys. 16-year-old Daniel Roy of Spokane Area Swim Team finished third with a personal-best 1:02.22, moving him up to #4 on the all-time list for 15-16 boys.

The B final went to Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team’s Brennan Pastorek, who led from start to finish and won with a 1:03.07, taking nearly 8/10 off his personal best. Robert Hughes of King Aquatic Club was second in the heat with 1:04.18. Eastern Express’ Connor Doyle claimed the C final crown with 1:04.96.

14-year-old Chase Travis of North Baltimore Aquatic Club posted the top time out of the earlier heats, dropping 10.6 seconds to lead the field with 8:43.47. She vaulted to #28 on the all-time list for 13-14 girls, just ahead of Chloe Sutton. In the heat that swam with finals, Madelyn Donohoe of The Fish set the pace early on, leading through the 400. Taylor Ault of La Mirada Armada then made a move from lane 2, and was firmly in control by the 500 turn. Ault built up a nice lead and never relinquished it, even though she was challenged over the last 200 by Magnolia Aquatic Club’s Joy Field. A the end Ault got the win in 8:37.97, her best by 5.6 seconds, and the 57th-fastest time in history for 17-18 girls. Field came in second with 8:38.94. Sandpipers of Nevada’s Erica Sullivan placed third with 8:41.52. Donohoe’s 8:42.10 was good for fourth place, just ahead of NBAC’s Travis.

Alamo Area 15-year-old Mikey Calvillo posted the fastest time of the morning, dropping 13.5 seconds to lead the pack with 15:42.76. In the final heat, the middle lanes provided much excitement as JohannesCalloni of Scarlet Aquatics, Aaron Apel of Scottsdale Aquatic Club, and FAST Swim Team’s Simon Lamar traded leads and battled each other throughout most of the race. Calloni (15:16.62), Apel (15:17.60), and Lamar (15:22.03) all broke the meet record of 15:23.01 set by Jordan Wilimovsky in 2012.

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About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swim/swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …